Expressing his sentiments unequivocally, Karim Benzema has conveyed his stance on the situation at Al Ittihad amidst swirling reports of a discord with manager Nuno Espirito Santo.
Having made the move from Real Madrid to the Saudi Pro League club earlier this summer, Benzema followed the path laid out by former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo.
He has promptly showcased his skill for his new team, registering three goals in six matches across various competitions.
However, his role might be in question due to Santo reportedly conveying to the club’s management that Benzema doesn’t align with his tactical approach.
An explosive account from Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat further alleges that the Portuguese coach didn’t request the acquisition of the star forward, thus causing tensions to rise between the two personalities within the team environment.
Furthermore, it’s posited that Benzema had expressed an interest in assuming the captaincy at Al Ittihad, a request that was declined by the former Tottenham coach, who instead bestowed the captain’s armband upon Romarinho.
The reported rift between Benzema and Santo opened the door to a shock departure for the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner.
However, Al Ittihad have tried to play down the situation as they posted a short video of the 35-year-old, accompanied with the caption: “KB9 always happy.”
KB9 always happy 😃pic.twitter.com/1AHQeJrmhb
— Ittihad Club (@ittihad_en) August 23, 2023
On Snapchat, they shared a clip of Benzema and Santo talking during a training session.
The videos shared by the club were reposted on the player’s social media accounts, suggesting he’s happy despite the reports.
Benzema has featured in Al Ittihad’s opening two league games of the new season and provided an assist in their 3-0 victory over Al Raed.
They return to action tonight as they travel to Al Riyadh in a league fixture.